Improvement in harvesting-machines



w. A. WOOD.

Harvester Rake.

Patented Feb. 10, 1857.

UNTTE STATES WALTER A. W'OOD, OF HOOSIOK FALLS, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 16,620, dated February 10, 1857.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER A. WOOD, of Hoosick Falls, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings,makingapartthereof,inwhich Figure 1 represents a perspective of the machine with the reel removed. Fig. 2 represents the clutch-lever on the shaft for throwing the machine in and out of gear. Fig. 3 represents the clutch-lever separate from the shaft, so that its cam-planes may be more distinctly seen.

- Similar letters of reference, where they ocour in the several figures, denote like parts of the machine in all.

.The nature of this invention relates to the device for throwing in and out the gearing of the machine; and by the word gearing I mean those parts of the machine which have control or impart motion to the machine other than that which it receives more immediately from the horses in drawing it through the field, as will be described.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings, confining myself mainly to the gearing, as designated.

A is the main driving and supporting wheel, which turns on its axle B.

(J is a gear-wheel affixed to or cast with the main wheel A. A pinion, D, arranged on the end of a shaft, E, meshes with this gear-wheel O and receives motionfrorn said gearwheel. The shaft E is suitably supported at F F to a frame, G, which frame G in turn is united by the fingerbar and rear bar, H, to the shoe I on the outside of the machine.

J is the dividing-board on top of the shoe; K, the track-clearer, united to the finger-bar and shoe, so as to rise against the action of a spring which holds it to the ground, and otherwise controlled or directed by the lugs at on the heel of the shoe.

L is the outside supporting-wheel, whose journal is connected to the bent rear bar, H.

M is the outside reel-supporter, hung to and made adjustable in a metallic piece, N, on the journal or axle of the outside wheel, L; O, the

rakers stand. These parts are merely designated by letters of reference, their general position being readily seen in Fig. 1.

The shaft E is so hung in its boxes F as to have end-play enough to move the bevel-gear P, which is permanently fixed on said shaft, in and out of gear with the bevel-pinion Q, which is on one end of a shaft that turns in a long box or bearing, B.

On the shaft E (see Fig. 2) are two permanent collars, S S, against which the cam-planes b b on opposite sidesof the forks T T of the clutch-lever U take, and thus slide the shaft E endwise toward or from the main wheel A, as it may be desirable to throw the cutters out of or into gear. The top of the clutchlever U is in convenient position for the conductor to reach from his seat V, and it is supported in a guide or brace, W. The forks T of the clutch-lever move in grooves c in a guidepiece, or, connected to the frame G, so that by drawing up the clutch-lever the cam-planes I) move the shaft to the right, which carries the wheel P with it and out of gear with the bevelpinion Q. A contrary or downward movement brings them into gear again through the other cam-planes b.

0n the end of the shaft which passes through the long bearing R, opposite to the bevel-pinion Q, is a crank, Y, which has upon its wristpin a friction-roller, d, which runs in a. Q- shaped piece or yoke, Z, on the end of the outter-bar, and by which the cutter-bar is vibrated.

I am aware that it is by no means new to get a reciprocating motion from a crank working in a yoke; but in its application to a barvesting-machine itdoes more than in any other application of it as a simple device-viz., it leaves an open joint, which can be readily cleansed of all the fibrous and gummy matter which so clogs up mowing or reaping machines. Besides, the friction-roller dis always acting as a self cleaner or scourer as it runs in the yoke. A simple hinged joint, as is ordinarily used for connecting the crank and cutter-bar, is liable to get clogged, and cannot be cleaned without uncoupling the parts. With the device I use this is not necessary; and to further shield the crank and its shaft, they are placed in a shoe or shield,f, closed at the bottom, which prevents to a certain extent the grass, &c., from getting. into these working joints or surfaces.

at 0 to the shaft 0, and a brace, 12, extends from the tongue to the end of said shaft, so as to cause the machine to follow the tongue without straining it.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, what 1 claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Connecting and disconnecting the gears P Q by a clutch-lever, U, with its cam-planes and handle extending up through the support to a convenient position for the operator, and when made and operated in the manner and for the purpose set forth.

WALTER A. WOOD.

Witnesses:

J. RUssELL PARSONS, EDWD. KIRKLAND. 

